"We’re a hard team to guard": D'Angelo Russell unleashes resurgence, shares glimpse into his dominant 34-point night

The LA Lakers (22-22) hosted the Portland Trail Blazers (12-30) on Sunday. After an embarrassing loss against the Brooklyn Nets on Friday, a 130-112 loss at home, the Lakers were due for a big win, which they did, beating the Blazers 134-110.

D'Angelo Russell was the star of the night, scoring a game-high 34 points and eight assists on 14 of 21 shooting 66.7%, including 6 of 11 three-point shooting 54.5%. LeBron James played the perfect co-star, contributing 28 points, five assists and five rebounds on 8 of 16 shooting 50%.

After the game, Russell was asked about his performance and how it contributed to the team's win. In response, he said:

“We’re a hard team to guard when we move the ball.”

As reported by Cooper Halpern, a reporter for Lakers SBN.

The Lakers displayed a collective effort to beat the Blazers as Austin Reaves had 15 points, four rebounds and two assists, while Anthony Davis finished with a double-double of 14 points and 14 rebounds.

James and Russell combined to score the first 19 points in the fourth quarter for the Lakers. Russell displayed his skills during a fast break by dribbling behind his back and driving to the basket to fake Malcolm Brogdon for a layup. They accumulated a 23-point lead thanks to a dunk, a 3-pointer, and four free throws from James.

D'Angelo Russell on his resurgence and Lakers success

Russell shared insights into the changes he has made to his game and the attitude adjustments that have contributed to the Lakers' success with him in the starting lineup at PG.

"Just attack...attack, attack, attack. ... When I was out, I got to see what I was missing, where I was missing. Continue to find ways to capitalize and be myself."

In his last five games, Russell has averaged 27.2 ppg, 6.4 apg and 2.2 rpg, including 4.4 three-pointers made on 55% and shooting 100% at the charity stripe. During this stretch, the Lakers have gone 3-2 with Russell net +30 for the team.

He boasts a 131.2 offensive rating, contributing to the Lakers having a +4.6 net rating compared to their season's - 0.8 net rating, including a surge in their offensive rating from 113.4 to 121.8.

Fan reactions to D'Angelo Russell's performance

Lakers fans are thrilled to see their point guard get his confidence back. With all the noise around the trade deadline and the Lakers' position in the West, seeing their former lottery pick up his game and elevate it when they need it the most is a big positive.

Here are some fan reactions to Russell's recent contributions:

"He’s the Lakers best true point guard and best shooter, and that shouldn’t be taken for granted."